Scott Downs happy to return to Chicago

Left-hander began career 14 years ago starting for Cubs and now hopes to be setup reliever for White Sox

January 07, 2014|By Colleen Kane, Tribune reporter

Braves relief pitcher Scott Downs walks off the mound after he was taken out of the game during the eighth inning against the Cubs. (Brian Kersey / Getty Images)

Scott Downs chuckled light-heartedly into the phone Tuesday when asked how much longer he wants to pitch.

He was 24 years old when he made his major league debut as a starter for the Cubs. Fourteen years and six teams later, the left-hander will return to Chicago with the hopes of providing a veteran bullpen presence for the team rebuilding on the other side of town.

A free agent after spending the second half of 2013 with the Braves, Downs agreed last week to sign a one-year, $4-million contract with the White Sox, with a $4.25-million club option for 2015.

"Turning 38 in the spring, I still feel like I can pitch for another four or five years, if my body allows it," Downs said on a conference call with reporters. "Right now I'm probably in the best shape I've been in in my life, the last couple of years. As long as my arm holds up, and I still can go out there and compete and get outs, I'm going to pitch until they take the uniform off my back."

Downs' previous stint in Chicago was brief. The Cubs traded him to the Expos midway through his rookie season in 2000. He went on to pitch for the Blue Jays for six seasons before joining the Angels. He was 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA, 37 strikeouts and 26 holds in 68 relief appearances last season between the Angels and Braves.

He is not certain what his role will be with the Sox, but he said after talking with general manager Rick Hahn, he believes he could have the opportunity to be a setup man.

"That appealed to me because I still don't see myself as a basic lefty specialist at this point," Downs said.

His duties likely also will include providing guidance for young Sox pitchers, as Hahn said in a release last week that "Scott's impact will not only be felt on the field, but given his makeup and leadership skills, it will be felt in the clubhouse and bullpen as well."

Downs likes the idea of that role with a retooling team.

"They picked me. They felt like for me it was a great fit to start a new chapter in my baseball career," Downs said. "They had a tough 2013, but the talks that I had about rebuilding, about going young, about me giving some extra veteran leadership in the clubhouse and on the field, it all appealed to me. I want to win. I want to be a part of something special, and I think we have that here."

Downs said he received a favorable impression about the Sox when speaking with slugger Adam Dunn, and that has helped him feel at ease about the change.

"The older you get, you want to go somewhere that's comfortable," Downs said. "Hearing him talk about how much he liked it there, that's always good to hear."

A bit of nostalgia also makes the move more interesting.

"Looking back, having my career start there and now having it be this late in my career, it's fun," said Downs, a Kentucky native. "The city is awesome. The people are awesome. My wife and kids, it's our favorite city to travel to."